TOR Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2010

TOR Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, 2010 Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Production: 400 cases Release date: July 2012 Vintage 2010 defied gravity. It shouldn’t have been a great vintage for Cabernet Sauvignon, but we think it is one of our best for the Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards we work with in the Napa Valley. That said, we also feel this is our best “Napa Valley” blend to date, eclipsing 09 and 05. So what happened? A very late and wet start pushed back bud break, bloom and set, which contributed to a very small crop. It was a cool summer until August when finally the heat was turned on. At this point we had to go out into the vineyards to remove any sunburn, which resulted in even less crop. Then, as can happen in the special years, a glorious Indian summer allowed us to ripen fully what little crop we had. It was alot of work, but when we tasted the young wines we were most impressed.



Vineyards 40% Cimarossa (Howell Mtn.). This is the backbone of the wine, and because we had such a small crop ALL the Cimarossa from our block #10, went into this special wine. We did not bottle a separate Cimarossa in 2010.

20% Beckstoffer To Kalon (Oakville). This element of the wine that this vineyard contributes is that plush middle, and dollop of wild blackberries. Of course it also adds significantly to the long lasting finish.

40% Mast (Yountville). Mast is our secret weapon when it is used as a blender. There is all the red berry character, but there is also hints of Moroccan (where we visited in 2012) spice that dance around the corners of the wine, adding dimension and other layers of flavor. Fun stuff.

Winemaking Unlike the vineyard designated Cabernets that we do from Cimarossa, Mast and To Kalon - this is a representation of the best qualities of the Napa Valley and not a single site. After the wines from Cimarossa, Mast and To Kalon were fermented separately; we crafted this wine from them to show the richness from Howell Mountain, the forward fruit from Mast and the tremendous weight and length from To Kalon. Perhaps a little more forward in its youth than the vineyard designated Cabernets; this wine will still enjoy many years of evolution in the cellar.

Winemaker’s Tasting Notes The nose on the 2010 Napa Cabernet soars with red fruits, dark roasted coffee and meats (slow roasted tri-tip). On the palate this is medium/full weight with very sweet tannins and roundness. This leans more toward the red fruit spectrum with the black fruit staying in the background. Balance, suppleness and tremendous sweet fruit are what will make this wine stand out from the rest.